India to host Hockey Series Finals despite IOC diktat
In a huge news for India ahead of the Olympics, Hockey India has confirmed that the nation is very close to host the Hockey Series Finals, which is scheduled in Bhubaneswar from June. After the shooting scandal following the Pulwama attack, IOC has banned India from hosting global events.
Following the terrorist attack on February 14, India had refused to issue visas to three Pakistani shooters for the World Cup event in New Delhi. It wasn’t taken well by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who had then asked all the international federations to not give India global events to host.
Consequently, the junior Asian Championships, which were to be held in July, had to be shifted out of India by the United World Wrestling (UWW), the global governing body of the sport. And with India pulling out of the Hockey Pro League, the Hockey Series Finals are the only remaining route for India to qualify in the Olympics next year.
According to a PTI report, a top Indian Olympic Association (IOA) official on Tuesday has revealed that the Hockey Series Finals, scheduled from June 6-16, would go scheduled in Bhubaneshwar.
“We (IOA and IOC) have reached an understanding on this issue and I can say it is almost confirmed that Hockey Series Finals will be held in June in Bhubaneswar,” said the official on condition of anonymity.
There would be three Hockey Series Finals of eight teams each all over the world, where the top two placed teams in each
The IOC had said that their stand against India would remain until “written guarantees are obtained from the Indian government to ensure the entry of all participants in such events in full compliance with the rules of the Olympic charter”.Â
However, sources have revealed that no concrete talks with the government have been done yet. “It is not possible to approach the government now. The country is in the election mode. We will approach the government only after the general elections,” an official said.
